Florida’s universities under pressure

Getting a higher education in Florida remains a good deal. The state’s public universities have become more efficient in an era of scarce resources, and some — like the University of Florida and Florida State — consistently manage to rank among the best in the country and the most affordable.

Despite that, state universities are in a bind. They can’t continue to deliver the quality education that Florida’s parents and students rightly demand without getting more help. They’re hobbled by a chronic lack of public investment, pressure to limit tuition, and competition from other states. All of this represents a challenge to the state’s leaders and the Board of Governors as they initiate a nationwide search to replace departing Chancellor Frank Brogan.